Year 9

Option Choices

2020 – 2021

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Contents

Life in Year 9 4

Choices for Year 9 5

Art and Design 6

Drama 7

Computer Science 8

Food and Nutrition 9

Music 10

Classics 11

Latin 11

Classical Civilisation 11

Languages 12

Classical Greek 12

French 12

German 13

Spanish 13

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Life in Year 9

Year 9 is a crucially important year as it signifies a move towards the more senior part

of the school and marks the end of a key stage in your education. You will consolidate

earlier work and start to lay very important foundations for GCSE courses. In some

subjects you will start to follow the GCSE syllabus.

Year 9 is undoubtedly hard work and requires skills in terms of time management and

organisation but it is also a lot of fun. You will enjoy all of your usual form and year

activities. You should certainly aim to participate in extracurricular activities and seize

opportunities for trying something new, and taking on more responsibility within the

school.

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Choices for Year 9

You are able to indicate a preference about some of the subjects you study next year.

You will be studying two subjects from:

• Art and Design

• Drama

• Computer Science

• Food and nutrition

• Music

We hope you will all be able to do your first two choices but this will depend on set

sizes, so you will be asked to give four subjects in order of preference.

You will also decide, with advice from your Classics teacher, whether to continue to

study Latin or to take Classical Civilisation in its place.

In addition to the language you are already studying, you will choose a second

language to start next year. You may then decide to continue this language, alongside

your existing one, for GCSE. The options are:

• Classical Greek

• French

• German

• Spanish

The next part of this booklet is to provide you with some information about the courses

available. If you have any questions which are not answered by the booklet, there are

plenty of people to ask - your Form Tutor, your subject teachers, Miss Forster, Dr

Burnett, Mrs Connick and Dr Reid.

In some cases the decision you make now will affect your choices for GCSE.

Language courses are an essential foundation for the GCSEs. In other cases details

are given in the subject entries. Even if a subject does not require next year’s course

for GCSE, if you are already very drawn to the idea of studying it further, it would make

sense for you to choose it.

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Art and Design

The study of art can be rewarding, challenging and exciting, and the skills and qualities

that you develop in the process, like risk taking and critical thinking are assets in life.

The course next year enhances the knowledge

acquired already. You will engage in art criticism

and lots of practical work in drawing, painting,

digital photography, printmaking and sculpture.

Art is a hands-on subject suiting people who are

interested in ideas. You do not have be to

excellent at art to take the course, but you need

to enjoy it and be willing to work outside your

comfort zone.

You will investigate how artists affect societies

and cultures as well as their links to literature,

architecture, design, philosophy, science and

politics. Year 9 Art projects change each year

so you may not be studying what the previous

year did! In the Summer Term you complete

an extended project on an artist, craftsperson

or designer of your own choice.

You will be given the opportunity to

attend at least one trip to a place of

interest so you can experience live art,

design or architecture. Project work is

an important part of the subject and you

will be given the opportunity to work in

a more independent way and express

your interests and ideas as the year

progresses.

It is strongly recommended that you take the course if you wish to continue on to

GCSE. This is because the course will develop your practical skills significantly and

ensure you are ready to begin GCSE coursework at the start of Year 10.

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Drama

The skills and qualities that you will develop in Drama such as teamwork, creativity,

leadership and risk-taking are assets in all subjects and all areas of life.

Drama stimulates the imagination and

will allow you to explore and reflect on

important subject matter, test and try

out new ideas, acquire new knowledge,

create new values and build self-

esteem. Although this course will

prepare you with the necessary skills

for GCSE it is not compulsory to have

taken it.

The course will offer:

• Acting including improvisation and role-play as well as studying a scripted play • The opportunity to develop your inter-personal and group working skills and

your ability to communicate with others • Creative skills in the technical aspects of the theatre including sound and

lighting • The chance to develop your spoken and written evaluative skills • A trip to see a professional theatre production

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Computer Science

Why study Computer Science?

We live in a world where technology is evolving at an

unprecedented rate, influencing developments in

everything from medicine and engineering to fashion

and media. This makes Computer Science one of the

most exciting and relevant subject areas that you can

study. Whichever route you choose to go down with

your career, Computer Science will undoubtedly

shape your world and a good grasp of the most

important concepts and ideas will help you to make the

most of these fast-moving trends.

In Year 9 we aim to build upon the foundation of skills developed in years 7 and 8 and

to fine tune your digital skills as you build towards taking your GCSE qualification.

Please be aware that Computer Science is a compulsory subject choice in Year 9 if

you wish to take the Computer Science GCSE qualification.

Computer Science explores the principles of digital technology using ‘computational

thinking’ methodology and using coding and programming as a core skill

throughout the course. This subject will challenge you to solve problems in a logical

manner and to demonstrate perseverance when the subject becomes more complex.

However, it may surprise you to learn that Computer Science is also an outlet for the

more creative among you and you will undoubtedly get a real buzz out of the creative

process using your programming skills. If you have enjoyed using programmes

like Scratch or game design then you might find that Computer Science suits you very

well.

Computer Science will make you think; it will challenge you and test your aptitude for

logic and patience. Computer Science is constantly evolving and that keeps it fresh

and exciting. We have no doubt that you will have lots of fun studying Computer

Science.

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Is it for me? Are you creative and someone who

enjoys a challenge?

Do you like a balance of theory

and practical work?

Are you an independent worker?

Do you have an interest in

food and health?

Food and Nutrition

A bit about….

In Year 9 Food and Nutrition you will develop a deeper understanding about food,

including the essential role of nutrients in maintaining a healthy diet. You will explore

the moral, ethical, social and environmental issues affecting food choice and

availability, as well as some of the science behind cooking. You will be challenged to

produce high-skilled, interesting, delicious and well-presented practical dishes of your

own choice, and develop complex culinary skills.

What else do I need to know?

To take this subject, you need to be organised and willing to bring your ingredients to

lessons. Food has links with PE, science, RS, geography and many other subjects.

You may be considering studying food or a related subject at GCSE, Sixth Form or

University, or considering a career in nutrition, medicine, sport or manufacturing. We

will also equip you with a crucial life skill and the knowledge of how to eat healthily.

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Music

Year 9 has a real focus on creativity and, in particular, composition. Skills taught earlier

years are now consolidated and you will have the opportunity to compose in a variety

of styles, using both staff notation and music technology.

This is starting to prepare you for the iGCSE course.

You will also gain the skills required for IGCSE in

terms of listening and analysis. Topics studied

include:

• The Pop Songs Form

• Musicals

• TV Theme Music

• Minimalism

• Music for Media, including Music for Gaming.

There are, of course, numerous extra-curricular activities available for you, from

ensembles and choirs to composing club and music technology sessions.

There is no requirement for you to learn an instrument in order to be successful in

music next year. As a general rule we would require you to take this course if you are

considering GCSE.

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Classics

Next year everyone will continue to study a classical subject

– either Latin or Classical Civilisation.

Both Latin and classical civilisation are available at GCSE; it

is essential for anyone wishing to study Latin for GCSE to

follow the Latin course next year. However, the GCSE

Classical Civilisation course is available ab initio, so anyone

can select this subject, no matter which classical subject(s)

you have studied previously.

Latin

Most of you will continue to study Latin, the course having

moved away from Pompeii to Roman Britain and then onto

Egypt and the vibrant city of Alexandria, home to the fabulous

Pharos lighthouse – one of the seven wonders of the ancient

world. As well as developing your knowledge and

understanding of the Roman Empire and its values, you will

develop your linguistic skills further, so that by the end of this

year you will have learnt about two thirds of the words

required for GCSE and have increased your reading and

translation speed, as well as your analytical skills,

enormously. We would strongly encourage anyone wishing to take Greek to continue

with Latin as the structure of the two languages is very similar.

Classical Civilisation

For those of you who find your skills and interests are less linguistic and more

humanities-based, we also run a parallel classical civilisation course next year which

engages with the classical world through the study of its archaeology, art, literature,

politics, social history, religion and philosophy.

The course examines aspects of both Greek and Roman

culture; previous areas of study include the mythology of

Minoan Crete, heroes and quests in classical literature, the

Trojan War, tales from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Greek

drama.

This course will also help you to develop your analytical and

evaluative skills as well as providing an excellent basis for

studying classical civilisation at GCSE level by developing

your appreciation of literature and history.

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Languages

Classical Greek

The legacy of the ancient Greeks is all around us, from their art, architecture and

literature to their philosophy, language and even their alphabet, which features in the

notation of numerous mathematical and scientific equations.

In the Greek course next year, you will learn the Greek

alphabet, investigate the wide array of English words which

derive from Greek roots, and start getting to grips with the

grammar and vocabulary prescribed for the GCSE syllabus.

In addition to this, you will learn about ancient Greek culture

and society, particularly Greek religion, daily life, sport and

entertainment.

The Greek language works in a very similar way to Latin, so

similar skills are required to study it successfully. As well as

developing these analytical, linguistic and communication

skills you will also have the opportunity to participate in a

variety of extra-curricular activities such as theatre trips, the

annual Latin and Greek reading competition and the biennial

LSF Classics trip.

It is expected that those wanting to study Greek at GCSE will take the course.

French

France. Swimmable from England (if you’re a good swimmer!) but a whole different

and fascinating world. Breathtaking scenery, the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, skiing in

the Alps, endless culture, high fashion, delicious food, and Astérix. French is your

passport to this and makes you part of it.

Did you know, though, that most people who speak French have never been near

France? They’re all round the world, from the frozen north of Canada to the deserts of

Africa, from the jungle of Sénégal to the coconut islands of the South Seas – knowing

French opens all this to you.

In your lessons you will use the new Tricolore 1

textbook and, by the end of the year, you should

have enough language to be able to cope

abroad in a number of situations. If you enjoy it

enough, you could choose to carry French on as

a GCSE option, alongside the language you

already study, and perhaps even beyond!

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German

German has it all! From chocolate and cherry cake

through Haribos to The Sound of Music, it’s all

German.

Not only is this the language of Europe’s Number 1

nation, and the ski-slopes of Austria and Switzerland,

it’s also a language that won’t require you to learn a

new accent - just say what you see. Plus, you won’t

have to learn too many new words: German works

by just clicking little words together to create new

words (a bit like Lego)! It is also a useful language

for a number of careers, including business and

engineering. Germans do Christmas really well and

you will get the chance to celebrate Christ mas three

times every December!

You will use the new Stimmt 1 textbook and, by the end of the year, you should have

enough language to be able to cope abroad in a number of situations. If you enjoy it

enough, you could choose to carry German on as a GCSE option, alongside the

language you already study, and perhaps even beyond!

Spanish

Spanish - one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Not only can you use

this language on your holidays in Spain but you can also enjoy traveling around Central

and South America, where it is the main language spoken in the majority of countries.

The language is pretty easy to pronounce once you

know the rules and you will soon be able to sing along

to some of your favourite songs. The Spanish know

how to have a good time and you will get a flavour of

the culture that includes flamenco dancing and lots of

delicious food.

In your lessons you will work from the new Viva 1

textbook and, by the end of the year, you should have

enough language to be able to cope abroad in a

number of situations. If you enjoy it enough, you

could choose to carry Spanish on as a GCSE option,

alongside the language you already study, and

perhaps even beyond!